Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings: Top 40 Wide Receivers

Week 1 is just days away now, with lots of news coming in to help affect these rankings. How does Peyton Manning’s injury hurt Reggie Wayne and company? How do the Cowboys receivers stack up taking on the Jets? Where could the surprise performances come from? Let’s answer those questions and more:

The questions with Hakeem Nicks are if Eli Manning can finally find his form (because he didn’t in the preseason) and if the Giants will change to more of a run-first approach. Will Nicks continue to get his catches? Absolutely. Will he be one of the top receivers in the league? You’d think so. However, if those questions weren’t hanging over him he would’ve had the potential to be the top option this week against the Redskins.

Will Peyton Manning play or won’t he (though things are significantly starting to look like he will be on the sidelines)? If he even does suit up, will he be 100 percent? These questions help to suppress the value of all of the Colts’ wide receivers in Week 1. Don’t expect it to last very long, however.

Two-time Pro Bowl free safety Brandon Meriweather was cut, leaving a little bit of a question mark in a Patriots secondary that was well below average in 2010. In fact, it was among the worst in the league, allowing 258.5 yards per game. They were better in the preseason (187.0 passing yards/game), but how much can we really read into that? Brandon Marshall and company could be in line for a big game.

Miles Austin vs. Darrelle Revis. It’s unfortunate, but Austin has to be considered, at best, a WR2 in Week 1. I’d still use him unless you are loaded with alternatives, but be prepared for a poor week. Will that mean Tony Romo and Dez Bryant going after Antonio Cromartie? It could be a big week for Bryant, making him an attractive WR2.

We all know that Wes Welker, Chad Ochocinco and company are going to get their opportunities to produce. The question is, who is going to be the focus this week? Will it be the receivers? How about the running backs? Maybe the pair of young tight ends? That type of uncertainty helps to suppress everyone’s value a little bit, though chances are everyone could end up more than usable.

Kenny Britt was able to avoid league suspension, despite his numerous offseason indiscretions. Now, he needs to get down to business and make a statement in Week 1. He draws a Jaguars defense that was poor against the pass in 2010 and the worst in the league in the preseason (292.0 passing yards/game as well as seven TD allowed). While he may not have the best QB tossing him the ball, he has the opportunity to put up some impressive numbers this week.

Will Jeremy Maclin be completely up-to-speed in Week 1? I’m not willing to take the risk, personally, and would only consider him a WR3 until he proves otherwise.

Mike Thomas was a preseason sleeper for many. Now, in Week 1, he’ll have the chance to make those who selected him look extremely smart. The Titans’ were among the worst passing defenses in the league in 2010 and followed that up by again looking unimpressive in the preseason. Thomas should be considered a viable WR2 in all formats.

Does anyone have faith in the Seattle Seahawks wide receivers with Tarvaris Jackson as the QB? Sidney Rice is nothing more than a WR3 right now (and Mike Williams more of a bench warmer), though a change at QB could lead to significantly more value.